Health & Fitness

Washington County boasts three hospitals that connect our community to major statewide health systems, in addition to over two dozen organizations providing healthcare, fitness programs, and support for specific health issues.

Impact

• In conjunction with W&J College, UPMC Washington launched a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to bring more qualified nurses to the county, and welcomed 39 students in its inaugural class.
• Always B Smiling has engaged over 1500 participants in their programs to date, including their adaptive bike program which helps youth with disabilities and health challenges to ride the Montour Trail.
• Small but mighty, the Trevor Popeck Foundation has already awarded more than $1,000 in mini grants to help offset the costs of eye-related medical expenses since its inception in 2023.

Challenges

Adequate healthcare and fitness programs are scarce in Washington County’s most rural areas, disproportionately affecting those who have the highest barriers to accessing services due to age, disability, or economic status. This includes help for issues such as mental health and substance abuse, which topped community rankings as the most significant issues facing our population. Some relief is set to come for the latter in the form of $2.69 million in opioid settlement funds, which will be distributed by the county to two dozen nonprofits and government agencies to help fight addiction.

Food insecurity also remains a top priority, given over 18,800 community members are classified as food insecure and 38% of them may not meet the criteria for most food pantries. Food Helpers hopes to address this through their Little Moochi program, which brings healthy snacks to elementary students and encourages healthy eating habits for them and their whole family.